SKAGOS
Anarchic Review + Stream

Skagos have always been a little mysterious – finding information on the band and their music has been somewhat difficult in the past, and it seems that that is just the way that Skagos like it. Their music is their voice and Anarchic is the culmination of much hard work; work that has taken a long time to become complete (in this case, possibly years). It was around this time last year the Skagos released “Side A” onto bandcamp, with “Side B” eventually following and the knowledge that that these two pieces comprised movements I-V of a new Skagos release was enough to begin fresh interest in the Cascadian flavoured black metal project that first came to my attention with the incredible Ást in 2009.

Skagos may come from a background that’s rich in history and textures, but their choice to always sit on the fringes of the “scene” is reiterated during the hour long rhythms of Anarchic. This work is not what you expect and is all the more interesting and intriguing for it. Hours of toil and blood and heart have gone into this recording and it’s a wonder that Skagos even managed to survive the ordeals that are rendered within the record.

Now, Anarchic is a tad more difficult to talk about than usual due to the the style in which Skagos have presented it – splitting it in two halves and running each song into the next without pause for breath or recourse – and as such the record is a challenge that offers many surprises and countless occasions of stark wonder.

The first section of music during Anarchic I-IV, “The Darkling Plain,” is a beautiful and calm passage which features gorgeous clean vocals that lift and build up a semblance of bittersweet hope before “Wetiko – Cannibalism” crashes through the serenity and bursts forth with huge clashes of drum and fiery impulses of shifting guitar. It’s in these absolutely ravaged slices of raw blackness that Skagos turn within themselves and let go of their earlier control and the music takes over utterly. Quiet moments seep back into this section with a subtle and nuanced stealth and often the swells of music build once again into huge swathes of blackened despair lending Skagos a majestic and sweeping edge over your heart and soul. “Await; Dawnrise” speaks in shimmering tones of embattled spirit before “Spring Speaks Truth” glimmers with breaking light and a curious spoken word element that lapses ever so slightly into trite territory. The strange droning sounds that filter into what follows are just enough to hold your attention whilst Skagos lament the death of the Earth with an odd, not-quite-speaking-but-not-really-singing incantation to the oldest Gods we know. It’s unusual and certainly unlike anything we’ve heard from this project before and it may be something to endure rather then enjoy for some.

Anarchic V-VII is ushered in by barely there drones and slight touches of guitar giving “Corvidae” a gentle and dappled light that rises on the breeze of anticipation for what may come. A steady thrum courses behind the almost ritualistic nature of the drum with an otherworldly and supernatural presence before “Entropy” sweeps in with sweet choral harmonies and hypnotically deep bass lines. The silence is broken by an intense rush of sound that swirls with mesmerising and low growls and a huge sense of urgency that subsequently segues into a doomed out, rolling landscape of total woe. The final piece of Anarchic comes in the form of the post-rock styled “Feral Dawn” which utilises a repetitive beat in order to build maximum tension that ultimately breaks into deep roars and echoing guitar lines that grab the heart and twist it with a painful resonance. The melody strewn vocals of Isaac Symonds reflect off the guttural intonations of Ray Hawes, both using their voices to evoke feelings of extreme sadness and hopelessness and leading Anarchic to a closing of pure and complete grief.

Order Anarchic on CD, or on cassette, listen to Anarchic, be at one with Anarchic.